Real Life Experiences
Excerpts from volunteer testimonies

A lot of what a Mission Corps volunteer does is not glamorous like some of the other things we've written about. A lot of it is menial tasks; things that we may have hired someone else do for us in the States. What seems to make doing these unpleasant tasks pleasant is the fact that we don't have to do them. We are doing them voluntarily..............as unto the Lord.

Papua New Guinea
Too small to ignore ... every child has potential

No one is too small or too obscure for God. He notices, loves, and cares for everyone. Even the weakest of children has value to God and, therefore, to Nazarenes on the Asia-Pacific Region.

One of the region's strategic initiatives is the "Development and enablement of Children and Youth." Wes Stafford's gripping book, Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most, has inspired the regional team members to find ways in all of their ministries to value, incorporate, and empower children. Even little abandoned babies, like Anna. Volunteer missionary Dr. Erin Meier, serving at the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in Papua New Guinea, recently posted a blog on the South Pacific Family blog site that illustrates this commitment to love and nurture even the smallest children.

I was on call Friday night (March 27) and was in the delivery area for most of the evening. I had heard something during the day about a little baby who was abandoned and found by someone and brought into the nursery. So while I was there suturing a mom, the nurse told me about the little baby who wasn't breathing on her own. As I was working, I told her, I know, she is too small there isn't anything we can do. The baby weighs only 900 grams (approximately 2 pounds), this is very small. We don't have a neonatal intensive care unit, a ventilator, or any other specialized meds or equipment for this little baby. We started her on antibiotics, gave oxygen, and put the bag and mask at her incubator to use to help her breathe. When I finished suturing a patient, I went in to see the baby. I knew there wasn't anything more to do, I just felt I needed to see the baby since the nurse kept telling me about her. When I saw the baby, I knew I was wrong, there was more I could do, I could pray. I was captivated by this little baby in front of me, this little person whom God had created, who had 10 toes and 10 fingers, who had a heart that was beating, and eyes that opened, who was struggling to breathe on her own. I put my finger to her hand and she held on, how precious. I stood there for a while letting her hold my finger and praying that God would intervene and help her.

I didn't expect her to make it through the evening because she was having a lot of apnea (periods of not breathing). Saturday morning I was pleasantly surprised to see her breathing on her own more and looking pinker. I talked to Anna, the lady that found her, and told her we need to keep praying, so we did. Sunday, I went back to see how she was doing, and she is still holding on. Pray that God, who breathed life into Adam, may do the same for this small child of His. "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

The Asia-Pacific Region staff believes, along with Meier, that this baby may one day be a great woman of God, as every child has great potential. But for now it's enough to know that she is a great child of God.

Posted on www.ncnnews.com.

Papua New Guinea
When I was in Papua New Guinea, I was much more aware of my need for God's presence, intervention and sustaining power in everyday activities. Going into 'town' to the market was no less an adventure than navigating the rugged mountain rainforest. The sound of mourners parading through the streets, bodies covered in mud and ash, was a somber reminder that life is short. Stories of sorcery and witchcraft filtered through the nearby villages, reminding me daily that the spiritual battles that were taking place were just as real, if not more, than what I could see with my own two eyes. I had to make a decision: believe in an instant 'god-in-a-box' that my culture had created for me? Or believe the very personal, miracle-doing, prayer- answering, just, merciful, God of the Bible that I needed to deliver for me right now? I chose the latter. The challenge now is to continue relying on this God back here in my home culture which tells me it doesn't need Him. The year as a Mission Corps volunteer will forever change how I look at life and true faith.

Mexico and Central America Region
My second week brought much joy and affirmation as I traveled to El Salvador for a week long Jesus Film Work & Witness trip with a team from my church in Portland. One of the highlights of the week for me was leading two sisters to the Lord by sharing the story of Christ's love through the EvangeCube - IN SPANISH!!!!! The Lord calmed my anxious heart when I felt so inadequate to share in another language, He moved me aside as He spoke through me to the hearts and souls of Wendy and Vanessa. They are now my sisters in Christ - I'll introduce you to them in heaven!

The following afternoon during our time of evangelism and outreach, I was privileged to minister along side the District Superintendent's wife. The afternoon was long and hot and we were met with resistance, rejection and distractions. Before heading back to the location of that night's Jesus Film showing, we looked across the park and saw the last two people we would share with - two armed guards in uniform. As we approached, one officer got up and left, but the other couldn't take his eyes off of the EvangeCube as he listened to the plan of salvation. Alex accepted the Lord that afternoon, gun in hand, and was disappointed he wouldn't be able to make it to the showing of the film later that evening.

God is working across Central America in amazing ways and I am in awe that he has authored this chapter of my life to be a part of these ministries.

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